How to Replace a Car Roof Interior

The interior of your car is supposed to be comfortable and nice for you to ride around in. As nice as the interior is, the whole look is ruined when the roof interior material is flapping, peeling or falling down. This isn't only unsightly, but it can be a safety hazard by blocking your view out of the rear window.

Things You'll Need

New cloth material

Spray adhesive/glue

Screwdriver

Measuring tape

Scissors

Inspect the roof interior cloth, called the headliner, to see what condition it's in. If there are only a few small areas that are loose, you might be able to reuse the material. If a large portion of the headliner is sagging, the entire thing needs to be pulled off. Pull it off by hand until it is completely removed.

Use a screwdriver to unscrew and remove the screws holding in the plastic trim that frames the headliner. There should be at least three or more screws down each side of the trim.

Measure the size of the roof where the headliner goes. Measure the width and length. Place the new material on a flat surface and measure it to fit the ceiling. Use scissors to cut the headliner to fit, leaving an extra inch or two around the entire piece.

Turn the new headliner fabric face down on a flat surface. Spray a light-to-medium coat of spray adhesive on one end, about a foot across. Allow the glue to dry until it feels tacky to the touch.

Place the fabric in the car and press the sprayed section into place on the ceiling. Place the piece flat against the roof and press, removing any wrinkles with your hand. Once this section is stuck to the ceiling, lightly spray the next foot-long section. Allow it to become tacky and then press it to the ceiling, smoothing the wrinkles. Repeat this process until all of the fabric is stuck to the ceiling.

Replace the trim pieces around the edges of the new headliner and screw them into place. This helps hold the headliner on, so make sure to tuck any extra fabric behind the trim before tightening the screws.

Tips & Warnings

Wear a protective mask and gloves when spraying and working with spray adhesive, because it is toxic to breathe.